IT department sends an email blast to the users: From now on, everyone will use a single login credential for all areas of the network, according to a pilot fish on the receiving end.

Fish’s reaction to single sign-on? “Yahoo! No more numerous account credentials to keep track of for various subsystems within the domain!”

In short order, all users are issued their single login credentials. And someone in IT has thought this through: The new user name and password are the same as for the user’s existing email account. That should make them easier for users to remember.

There’s just one catch.

It turns out that before a user can get to the single-login screen to use his single-login credentials, he first has to go to the subsystem he’s planning to use.

And then log in with the special subsystem credentials that have been such a pain.

And then arrive at the universal login page.

“Now the user can apply the convenient single login to get into the targeted system,” says fish.

“Thanks for simplifying our lives!”

Sharky knows life isn’t simple— in fact, I count on it. Send me your true tale of the not-at-all-simple IT life at sharky@computerworld.com. You’ll score a sharp Shark shirt if I use it. Comment on today’s tale at Sharky’s Google+ community, and read thousands of great old tales in the Sharkives.

Get Sharky’s outtakes from the IT Theater of the Absurd delivered directly to your Inbox. Subscribe now to the Daily Shark Newsletter.